Harvest 2017 Assistant
(Wine Jobs:
Vineyards & Cellars )
Full Time
Peterson Winery
Healdsburg,
California
Peterson Winery is looking for an intern for the upcoming harvest season, starting in the middle of August, running through mid-December. Peterson Winery is a small, family operation in the Dry Creek Valley. The individual selected will be an integral part of a small team. Since running a small winery during requires each team member to wear different hats at many times, we require a dynamic, flexible person with a desire, or at least willingness, to get dirty cleaning floors one minute and smile to people getting a tour the next…
This is an ideal chance to work at a small (9,000 case) quality-oriented winery to get hands-on experience with a wide variety of production skills. Intern has an excellent opportunity to learn all facets of red (zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon, petite sirah, carignane, grenache, sangiovese) and white (Sauvignon Blanc and others) wine production, including:
• Sanitation of tanks, valves, floors, hoses, equipment (pumps, destemmer, press, chilling plates, etc)
• Berry sampling in the vineyard
• Must analysis and fermentation monitoring of brix, temperature, and sensory evaluations
• Destemming and crushing grapes
• Pump-overs and manaul punch down fermentations
• Pressing
• Wine movements (pumping and gravity flow)
• Barrel preparation, cleaning, steaming, and repair
• Laboratory analysis (pH, TA, SO2, Residual Sugar, VA, alcohol, ML paper chromatography, etc.)
• Racking wines
Peterson Winery uses low tech methods of winemaking, including native yeast fermentations, low-SO2 additions, non-filtration and minimal to no fining. Intern must have the dedication, focus, and work ethic necessary to make great wines without much technology, and a basic understanding of the difference between wine production styles.
About you: independent and willing to work alone, have a car to, smart, hard-working, willing to ask questions, tolerant to wide-range of music, have a general idea of how machines work. Be prepared to work 100 hour weeks if needed, and, be prepared to be sanitizing floors if things are slow.
Position requires flexible hours and the ability and willingness to work on evenings and weekends. Up to 14 hour workdays are not unheard of, though we try and keep it civil at an average of 10…
The candidate will be able to follow written and verbal instructions in English.
Reality of strength and balance needed for the job: Be able to lift up to 100lbs short distances (empty barrels onto racks), carry 50lbs (full buckets, bags of cleaning supplies) up 15 foot ladders, and shovel grape must from tanks for hours on end.
Have a positive attitude and be both safety and detail-oriented even after working for 12 hours straight.
Ability to use or learn to use a forklift a plus. Laboratory skills a plus.
Previous winemaking experience not necessary. Basic winemaking procedure knowledge, and passion for wine is.
Send a resume and cover letter about yourself and interest/experience with wine. I will read cover-letters, value good-writing and proper grammar, appreciate expansive (but not verbose) vocabulary.
Thanks for your interest, and consideration. Please put “No Soulless Wines” as the subject in the email so I know you have read all details carefully.
